The decision to fire or reassign nearly 280 employees is part of Trump officials’ push to close the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights.

The Environmental Protection Agency continued its staffing shakeup on Monday, beginning the termination of hundreds of staffers through a "reduction in force" process as it moved other workers to new roles.

The Environmental Protection Agency sent termination notices on Tuesday to staff who work on environmental justice programs at its headquarters and across regional offices, saying their work no longer aligns with the mission of the agency.